How Is Shinto Similar To Confucianism

The Japanese religions, including Shintosim and Buddhism, are rich and complex, and it contains many condradictory trends which may puzzle a Westerner. In the center of the tradition is Shinto, the "natural" religion of Japan. Also in the center is Buddhism, the Indian religion that was brought to Japan in the sixth century from Korea and China. Throughout the history of Japan, it has been these two religions that have contributed most to the Japanese understanding of themselves and their surroundings, and also to many important events.

Firstly, the traditions within Shintoism were important to help the Japanese people to connect with their ancestors and the nature around them. The word ‘Shinto’ itself means way of the gods. It is as old as the Japanese culture and was the only religion in Japan until the 6th century. According to the Shinto religion, there exists a basic life force called kami. Kami are close to human beings and respond to human prayers. They can influence the course of natural forces, and human events. Shinto tradition says that there are eight million kami in Japan. Due to their deep respect and love for nature and Japan itself, many shrines were set up in places of natural beauty. Followers went to pray here to receive good fortune and samurai would often go to the shrines to pray for victory before and after battle. Shinto’s traditions involved having a clean lifestyle. They washed and bathed everyday which made most of japan a fresh

After reading the passages about Shinto, it is interesting to see how Kanetomo defines the religion itself. Based on DeBary’s reading, Kanetomo describes Shinto as a yin and yang. Kanetomo splits Shinto into two different definitions, as shin means the “heart-mind of all beings” and to means the “rationale of all beings” (Debary 352). To me, Kanetomo’s definition of Shinto as a yin and yang draws comparisons to the yin and yang concepts of Daoism. Shinto is similar to Daoism because both have a metaphysical concept that governs the world. However, the yin and yang of Daoism is incapable of description. This is different in Shinto as the religion anthropomorphizes the metaphysical principle into many god-like figures, such as Izanagi and Izanami (Bowring 353). I believe this is a main proponent of why kami and Shinto deities are highly revered and worshipped in Shinto.

As an ancient religion of Japan, Shinto was originally a combination of nature worship, divination techniques, and shamanism. Meaning "the way of the Gods", the origins of Shinto are not apparent in comparison to other religions, especially other Asian religions and beliefs. With no obvious founder, as well as original written scriptures and authentic laws, a number of theories exist about the origination of Shinto as a religion and its development across the Japanese lands. However, the significance of the religion has shifted the importance of discovering its origins to the religious influences that Shinto has embarked upon Japanese

Shintoism is an ancient religion that predominates modern japan but it has undergone many changes to compete with many foreign religions such as Christianity. Does Shintoism need to conform to compete with Christianity better yet does it really need to compete with other religions anyway? The main sentiment that comes with foreign religions is to explain the creation of the universe usually depicting a divine being or god while Shintoism mainly tries to empower the mysteries of the universe rather than to explain them. Shintoism also through the most part lacks a holy book since most of the practices and ideas where spread through story tellers this causes an issue since foreign countries have to explain Shintoism on their own which make it look barbaric in comparison. The early history of Shintoism may shed some light on this argument to understand some of the reason for the Shinto conformation.

The Japanese culture has been greatly influenced by its religions, and one of the most influential religions has been Shintoism. Shintoism has been dated back to 500BC, when the descendants of the sun goddess, Amaterasu-OmiKami, worshiped the gods and goddesses of Japan. Shinto means "way of the gods" and that represents what people who practice Shintoism believe in. Shintoism is a religion based on Japanese mythology, which is centered on a male god, Izanagi, and a female goddess, Izanami. These two gods were believed to have created Japan, which was thought to be the only land in the whole word. The two gods had two children, the sun goddess Amaterasu, and the storm god, Susanowo. These two gods fought over control of the people of

The main goal of any religion is to gain an idea of understanding and reasoning in one’s life. Religion is a vast hole with endless conceptions concerning the purpose for existence, as well as moral principles for how individuals should live their one life. Religion is sacred and vital in the Japanese society. Japan is a remarkable country with endless temples and shrines for praying, donating, and ceremonies. Yet, the modern lifestyle and urbanization in Japan continues to emerge. This realization had me contemplating the notion of how people can adjust towards contemporary ideals and newly-found social orders, but continue to keep ancient beliefs and teachings like Buddhism. Buddhism arrived in the sixth century in Japan from the Kingdom of Baekje in Korea, roughly 552 A.D. However, it began in India with Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha lived within a royal family and was protected from the “real world” for most of his childhood until he witnessed the trials of sickness, aging, and death from a local monk. He wanted to find a way to live his life with those trials, or somehow accept them. Siddhartha craved for a life of no pain and suffering, so he left his comfortable home and strived to live towards Hindu teachings and nothing else. He desired to reach enlightenment and after meditating for

There are many aspects of this world such as culture, technology, or art that have been influenced by other things. The way that things influence each other has allowed for new possibilities and ideals to be formed. Religion is no exception; there have been many instances where religions have influenced each other and blossomed due to new ideas being presented. A good example of this the relationship between the two religions: Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism was brought into Japan during the early 6th century from Korea, and was later institutionalized as the state religion in the late 6th century by Prince Shōtoku. The Prince was a great patron of Buddhism and by having made it the state religion, it would help Buddhism spread. However, Japan was not without its own religion—Shinto—which had been there for many years prior to the arrival of Buddhism. With Buddhism gaining traction in Japan with the help of Prince Shōtoku, what then does it mean for the Shinto religion? However, Shinto was not long forgotten, which leads to the question: how did the two religions, Buddhism and Shinto, interact with each other when Buddhism arrived in Japan? In this essay, I will discuss how both Buddhism and Shinto were closely tied to each other in Japan, and how they would influence each other in different ways that allowed them to grow into new directions.

The two religions that are located in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. The two religions in japan are extraordinarily unalike, while Shintoism believes that every living thing including rocks and sounds contain some type of god in them, and Buddhism is concerned with the soul and afterlife that happens in Buddhism. The religions differ very much from each other with little similarities. Buddhism and Shintoism differ in one using shrines while the other has temples, the two both have religious ceremonies, and one believes in the afterlife while the other does not.

The supernatural powers and deities of Shinto are Kami. Kami are not Gods but spirits that intervene with humans that do not live in a separate dimension but in the same dimension as humans. Kami can take form of elements of nature such as rivers, mountains, storms and earthquakes but they were also the deities that created the universe as stated in their holy text. They can also be spirits that take the form of the living and the souls of humans that have demonstrated outstanding achievement (such as soldiers that gave up their lives for war, emperors and leaders) becoming Kami after their death. Kami are also the ancestors and protectors of human beings. Kami can also influence the course of nature and events of humans. They like the human

At the heart of Shinto is a sensitivity to the mysterious powers of natures. Long ago islands Japanese people lived closely to nature, and Shinto as religion reflects that reality in its worship of the spirits who are believed to inhabit the natural world. It said on page 257, Shinto retains elements of shamanism, contact with nature spirits, and mysterious healing. Even though Shinto is an ancient religion, it still relevant today. Shinto goes wherever Japanese people lived. Even in America, Brazil and particularly in Hawaii, California and Washington. This is not a missionary religion, nor have the institutional structure to do missionary work. According on page 275, it said that Shinto is reminiscent of other indigenous religions. I believe

While I was reading these interesting stories, each story had some qualities that where similar, but there were also many differences. Which wasn’t really a huge surprise since the setting of each story happened during different times, and on different parts of the planet. All the stories involved a special child, and everyone knew he was gifted. A few characters in these myths have powers, but some do not. Sikhism and Christianity seem to be based on Monotheistic viewpoint, but Buddhism and Shinto seem to be based on a polytheistic viewpoint. Each story was either about a god, or a prophet spreading his new found message to the people.

Shinto's encounter with the Buddhism religion being introduced into the Japanese country in 552 BC at a point, were not in constant agreements when it came to the end of the Meiji Restoration in 1868 as Buddhism gradually advanced. For one thing, as Shinto had become the main state religion of Japan this meant the Emperors directions took a different route of having to take more cautious on the state's financial funds. And since those funds relied on the shrines that were most commonly visited for worship, it affected Japan so much that the kami was no longer permitted to be recognized with Buddhist deities causing them to lose their godly status, and an additional serious arrangement for the Japanese spiritual beings took place. Also, traces of Buddhist rituals, images, and purposeful meanings were wiped clean. Despite the fact, it is safe to say that the Meiji Restoration filled with major political, economic and social change did not cause the reformation and purifying of Shinto to last.

One of the key aspects of Shinto, and an aspect that made it somewhat difficult for me to study in a more isolated context, is the flexibility of it. Unlike the Abrahamic religions, there is no strict religious doctrine or meticulous set of rules that governs the practitioners. Instead, it's much more a conceptual idea that carries with it various commonalities, specifically in terms of practices and a very nature-based system of deities (Religions of the World). Although, despite Japan's more isolated society, they did share certain ideas with other Eastern religions, such as a focus on the cosmos and harmony with nature and others (Return of the Gods).

There are a number of similarities between the eastern religions and philosophies of Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism. While Hinduism is centered around a supreme being, Buddhism and Confucianism are centered around the teachings of a man. Each encourages moral behavior, ethical values, such as non-violence, charity, and a respect for the universe. To better understand the philosophical similarities and differences between Confucianism, Buddhism and Hinduism, it is important first to consider the teachings of Buddha, Patanjali and Confucius in their historical context.